


Mon Amour, crois-tu qu'on s'aime?

by WhiteravenGreywolf



Series: Alternative Universe Ruby and Christina [2]
Category: Lovecraft Country (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Day At The Beach, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, French Holidays, Horror, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Paris (City), Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but just a bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27449944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteravenGreywolf/pseuds/WhiteravenGreywolf
Summary: Christina and Ruby have taken some time off from the chaos of Chicago and gone on a holiday in France. After spending the first few weeks in Paris, they've gone down to the French Riviera, with intentions to return to Paris later. But of course, Christina didn't pick their holiday location by accident...
Relationships: Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite
Series: Alternative Universe Ruby and Christina [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005540
Comments: 32
Kudos: 94





	1. Le Ciel Bleu sur Nous Peut S'effondrer

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! There it is! The long (very long) sequel to "We're Not Eloping". The people has spoken, and I listened, but really, I was going to write it even if you didn't want it. I think it's detached enough from the first one that you don't have to read it to understand, but it's always better if you have :)  
> The title of the story and the titles of the chapters are all pulled from the same song, "L'Hymne à l'Amour" from Edith Piaf. You might know it as the song from the first Birds of Prey trailer. I know it as the day French music peaked.  
> As a French person, I have complicated feelings about the overly romanticized version of my country that is often represented in media. Not that it matters because this story is full of those Hollywood romantic French clichés. All I hope is that I've made my fellow French Rubistina fans proud in representing our country (I know you're out there)  
> I had to cut the story in half because it was way too long. Part 2 is coming tomorrow! Please leave some comments, tell me how excite you are for part 2, and I'll see you then!

They'd rented a bright, expensive Italian car. It was blue like the Mediterranean. The roof had been taken off. It was a warm day for September, much warmer than Ruby would have imagined. But then again, the French Riviera was known for its nice temperatures.

  
It was the hotel clerk who'd told them about this small restaurant up in the hills. Apparently, it was a favorite of American tourists in the region. Ruby was somewhat nervous at the idea of meeting other American tourists because when they traveled, they brought their racism with them. But Christina had convinced her that it was at least worth checking out. Plus, racists or not, there was nothing they could do to kick her out of the restaurant.

  
As the car climbed up the dirt road snaking around the hills, Ruby looked down at the valley below. The sea was a perfect blue color. Where the sun hit the water, it turned it into sparkling diamonds. Even with her sunglasses, it was hard to look at for too long. The city below expended at the edge of the water, so many small, red-roofed houses. Many of those houses were older than anything Ruby had ever seen before. Christina had informed her so the day before, while they were visiting, but she still had trouble wrapping her head around the fact.

  
They reached the top of the hill, and there, at the edge of a village, was a stone building. A sign indicated the name of the restaurant they'd been given. A few cars were parked near it, in the gravel. Christina easily parked there. They climbed out. Christina was quick to take the scarf tied over her head to keep her hair somewhat in place. She was wearing red and yellow checkered shorts and a white sleeveless shirt, and sunglasses. Ruby was wearing a blue summer dress. She exchanged her scarf for a white wide-brimmed hat she'd bought the day before.

  
The restaurant was entirely made of stone, except for the roof, made of clay tiles, so covered in moss that it looked more green than brown. The red door with a bell above seemed as old as the building itself. There was no one else around, to their great surprise. They glanced at each other then Christina shrugged, and with her usual confidence, she made her way to the door.

  
The bell rang. The inside was just as picturesque as the outside, with apparent beams on the ceiling from which many artifacts hung. Old lavender bouquets spreading the flowers' fragrance even to this day. A horseshoe was attached to the beam nearest to the entrance, like a good luck charm. On the walls were many framed pictures. To the left of the entrance was a stone bar with a wooden countertop. An old man was working behind, counting the bills in his ancient-looking cash register. When he saw them walking in, he smiled and said:

  
"Bonjour mesdemoiselles."

  
That much Ruby could understand. But the conversation Christina proceeded to have with the man, in almost perfect French, Ruby didn't even try. Because of course, Christina had learned French at her super expensive boarding school. Ruby had been trying to learn a few words, but her tongue had trouble wrapping around some of the words.

  
The man motioned for them to move to the left, to a large terrace overlooking the bay. It truly was a sight to behold. The man led them to a table for two by the edge of the terrace, against a metal railing on which some sort of red, thorn-less flowers had been growing. Once they'd sat down, he gave them the menu and said something before disappearing back inside.

  
"I thought you'd like a table with a nice view," Christina said, pushing her sunglasses up on her head.

  
"You can admit that you wanted a table with a view," Ruby said as she took off her sunglasses.

  
"I did," Christina said, her eyes never leaving Ruby.

  
When the old man returned, he was carrying another, smaller menu, which Ruby assumed had the list of alcohol they served. The man must have been in his sixties, with blue-greenish eyes and a gray mustache. The few graying hairs he had left were hidden under a cap. He placed the menu on the table between them and said, with a heavy French accent:

  
"Americans, right? On a holiday?"

  
He seemed genuinely curious, and so Ruby replied:

  
"We are."

  
"Where are you from?"

  
"Chicago."

  
The man nodded.

  
"Not often I get people from Chicago. Many from Los Angeles, usually. Welcome to my restaurant. If you need anything, just let me know."

  
He smiled then returned inside. Ruby looked around. There weren't many people on the terrace, and most of the people seemed French, the restaurant's usual crowd. Perhaps it was because summer was over, and all the American tourists had gone back to work.

  
"The menu's in French," Christina warned as if Ruby couldn't have figured it out from a simple glance. "Let me know if you need a translation."

  
"Of course. It's the only reason I brought you here with me. To translate my menu."

  
The corner of Christina's lips pulled up into a smile. Still, Ruby couldn't seem to focus on the menu, her eyes drifting to the view every few minutes. Ruby wasn't used to seeing so much open nature spread around her. The trees looked foreign, with their strange shapes, bent around mounts of rock to seek the sun. Even the air was different, saltier.

  
When the man returned they ordered. He went into the kitchen to give their order, they came back with two wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. As he opened the bottle, Ruby asked:

  
"Do you usually get a lot of American clients?"

  
After all, if the restaurant was so popular with Americans, she expected it to be packed with them.

  
"Mostly. But it is the end of the season."

  
He served them both then placed the bottle on the table.

  
"But my friend Clark said he will come soon, so I'm not worried. He always brings more friends."

  
Ruby took a sip of her white wine. The owner continued:

  
"You know Clark Gable?"

  
Ruby frowned. She sure knew of him, as he stared in one of her mother's most hated movie, and for good reasons.

  
"The actor?" she asked tentatively.

  
"Yes. He comes here often. Maybe you come back in a few weeks and he will be there."

  
Ruby shot a look at Christina who was smiling lightly, somewhat amused by Ruby's reaction.

  
"We'll probably be back home in a few weeks," she replied politely.

  
"Of course," the old man said. "I will go see if Jacques is done cooking, I will be back with your meal."

  
He walked back inside and Ruby sighed.

  
"How unlucky," Christina joked. "We missed Clark Gable."

  
Ruby rolled her eyes.

* * *

The food was as good as Ruby had come to expect from a French restaurant. They finished their bottle of wine and Christina wanted to order another, but Ruby asked for water instead, reminding the blonde that they needed to drive back down. Even though they both had a mark on them, they were not taking any chances. The car would not end up folded like an accordion at the bottom of a ravine.

  
Despite his friendship with Clark Gable, the owner was nothing but kind to them. He smiled as he came to check on them and brought them water. He handed them the menu again for dessert, and he gave them an additional slice of cake.

  
"To share," he said, with a wink, before disappearing back inside.

  
Ruby didn't know what to think about the wink. Most of everywhere they'd gone people had assumed that they were friends on a trip together. But there was something in the owner's smile like he knew. It sort of worried Ruby.

  
They stayed at their table even once all three dessert plates had been cleaned, and talked while enjoying the view. Ruby found it crazy that, even after spending so much time with Christina, just the two of them, they still found things to talk about. They hadn't grown bored of each other yet.

  
"We made the trip down already, and it wasn't so bad."

  
"You slept most of the way," Christina replied. "I don't want to spend another eight hours sitting on a train."

  
They'd been debating on whether to make the trip back to Paris on a single trip or to stop halfway for the evening, making it two four-hour train rides.

  
"What even is there to see in Lyon?" Ruby asked before taking a sip of water.

  
"I'm sure we can find something," Christina said lightly.

  
This ticked Ruby off. Christina had planned most if not all of their trip ahead of times. She had known exactly what were the interesting things to do or see during their first few weeks in Paris. Their impromptu trip to the French Riviera had seemed less and less impromptu the more time they spent under the Mediterranean sun. So for Christina to not know what there was do see in Lyon, it was very suspicious.

  
"You can tell me, you know?" Ruby said.

  
"I know. I trust you," Christina assured. "There could be something."

  
The owner returned, offering them a coffee or a digestive. They both declined and made to leave but the old man said:

  
"No, no, stay, please. Stay as long as you want."

  
Christina sat back down and so Ruby did the same.

  
"Have you ever been to Lyon?" Christina asked the owner.

  
"Once, but it was a long time ago," the man said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

  
"Would you say it's worth seeing? My friend and I were debating whether we should stop on our way back to Paris."

  
"The food there is good, I know," the owner replied. "I had a friend once who lived in Lyon for a while. He's the one who made me add coq au vin to the menu. I hear the old city is worth a look. They have this big church on top of a hill."

  
Christina nodded along.

  
"Maybe when I retire I'll take a trip there," he added with a chuckle.

  
"How long have you worked here?" Ruby asked.

  
"Almost thirty years now. Jacques says I'm too old. He says I should sell. But I will not sell. He says my daughter could use the money, she's leaving her good for nothing husband. He says it could help with my granddaughter too. But she doesn't need me. She's strong, like her mother. So I will not sell."

  
As he spoke, Ruby couldn't help but glance at his hand, where she found no ring, nor any tan mark that would have indicated he wore one.

  
"You have a daughter?" she asked.

  
"Yes, but she lives near Marseille. I left when she was a child. Girls don't need fathers who can't be good fathers to them."

  
Christina raised her glass to that.

  
"Does she not resent you for leaving?" Ruby asked tentatively.

  
"Oh no. It's better like this. Better for everyone."

  
Ruby didn't dare prompt the stranger any further. Christina finished her glass of water, then asked:

  
"We were looking for a beach nearby, someplace quiet. Do you have a spot to recommend?"

  
The old man smiled knowingly again, and Ruby knew they'd been exposed.

  
"A place to be alone, eh? I know just the place."

* * *

They followed the old man's indication, first by car, then, after parking under some tall cypresses, on foot. They walked down a hidden rocky path to a small, sandy cove. It was impossible to see from the road and hidden between two marigold-colored stone outcrops. The sand was coarse, closer to tiny pebbles than the slim sand Ruby would have expected. The sun was high, but already leaning toward the high cliffs, threatening to disappear behind it.

  
"He didn't lie when he said we would be alone," Christina said.

  
She pulled a rolled-up towel from the wicker basket she was carrying. She unrolled it on the sand and motioned for Ruby to take it. Then, she pulled another one and unrolled it beside the first. Ruby took off her sandals first. Despite the coarse appearance of the sand, it wasn't painful to walk on, although it tickled slightly. She took off her dress, revealing a green one-piece swimsuit underneath. As she sat down, folding her dress neatly to place it in the bag, she felt Christina shifting closer to her. The blonde had already pulled the sunscreen bottle out.

  
"I'll do your back if you do mine," Ruby said lightly, knowing it was probably what Christina had in mind anyway.

  
Christina shifted until she was seating behind her and with delicate hands, she began rubbing the cream all over Ruby's exposed back and shoulders. Ruby couldn't help but shiver at the contact.

  
"That was the idea," Christina said. "But I don't need sunscreen."

  
Ruby let out an amused sound.

  
"You don't need sunscreen?"

  
"The mark won't let anything harmful pass, remember?"

  
Ruby frowned.

  
"Then why..."

  
"You should know by now that I'll take any chance I get to touch you."

  
As if to prove her point, Christina's fingers moved as close to the side of Ruby's breast as they could, restricted as they were by the nylon fabric. Ruby heard the message loud and clear.

  
"Unfortunately for you, you're going to have to keep it in until we're back at the hotel."

  
Christina leaned in, placing a kiss right behind Ruby's ear.

  
"The prize is worth the wait."

  
Once Christina was done rubbing Ruby's back, she stood up to take her short and shirt off, revealing a red and black polka dots two pieces swimsuit underneath. She had no trouble exposing the mark on her abdomen, the horns curling just below the top of the swimsuit. Ruby's eyes racked over Christina's body, following the motion of her long legs as she sat down on the towel once again.

  
"Come here," Ruby said as she got a hold of the sunscreen.

  
Before Christina could protest, cream was being massaged over her shoulders.

  
"Mark or not, if you're wrong about how good of a sun protector it is, I don't want to be spending the rest of my holidays with a lobster."

* * *

They spent most of the afternoon reclined on the beach. As usual, Christina had taken a bit of work with her and was doing math, calculating the equations her next spell required.

  
"What's the point of a holiday if you bring work?"

  
Christina finished her equation before answering:

  
"I'm simply trying to keep myself occupied. You know where my mind goes when I grow restless..."

  
Christina's eyes roamed over Ruby's form. Ruby felt heat rush to her face but she decided to blame the sun. Christina turned back to her notebook, scribbled a bit more then finally, she closed it off.

  
"Since we're here, I might as well go for a swim. Are you coming?"

  
Ruby shook her head lightly, a slight grimace passing over lips, easily noticed by Christina. The blonde simply nodded and moved to the water. Ruby leaned back on her elbows. She watched as Christina stopped by the shore, testing the water as the gentle waves came crashing against the sand, before stepping further into the sea. It wasn't that Ruby didn't want to go closer to the water, but she'd yet to admit to Christina that she didn't know how to swim. She'd never had the chance to learn, and even when Leti had proposed they take a trip to the lake so she could teach her, Ruby hadn't had the time. She assumed Christina had received swimming lessons as a kid. It was just another sign of their absolute unlikeliness as a couple.

  
She was pulled out of her thoughts when she realized she couldn't see Christina anymore. The blonde had dived under the water and had yet to reemerge. Ruby sat up and stared at the horizon. A slight fear pinched Ruby's heart. She knew that Christina wasn't in any danger, but she just couldn't fight the feeling. She couldn't fight any of her feelings regarding the blonde anymore. These last few weeks together had been absolute bliss. Sure, they bickered from time to time, but there was never any malice in their arguments. There was something else instead, a thing that, in her mind, would bring a lot of trouble. 

  
Christina's head emerged out of the water, blonde hair glued to her face. She brushed them away and swam back to shore. As she emerged out of the water, water trickling down her body, Ruby truly understood what 'Venus rising from the sea' meant. Christina brushed her hair out of her face, fully aware of Ruby's gaze on her. She sat down on the towel, tugging her wet hair behind her ear.

  
"I got you something."

  
She opened her hand, revealing a white and red seashell the size of her palm. Ruby picked it up. It was almost completely intact, except for a small chunk of the edge, which had been broken off.

  
"Thank you."

  
Ruby was tempted to lean in for a kiss on the cheek, but the water running down Christina's face stopped her. Instead, she secured the seashell in the bag behind her. When she turned back around, Christina kissed her cheeks, leaning heavily on her. Ruby pushed her off but it was already too late, and Ruby's arm and side were wet. She brushed the water off while Christina put her sunglasses back on and lay down on the towel, a satisfied smile on her lips. Ruby grumbled, brushing the water off of her arm. She glared at Christina, already preparing her revenge.

  
She waited until she was sure Christina had dried. Then, she stood up, as if she meant to go and take a swim in the sea. She walked until her ankles were brushed by the surf. The water was a bit cold, though not as much as she'd expected. She looked over the horizon. The Mediterranean spread as far as she could see, without so much as a boat or a chunk of land in the distance.

  
"Hey Chris?" she called. "What is that?"

  
Christina lifted her sunglasses on her head and sat up.

  
"What?"

  
"Over there?"

  
Christina looked over the horizon but she couldn't see anything. She stood up and moved to stand beside Ruby, keeping her eyes on the horizon.

  
"I don't see anything."

  
"Right over... there!"

  
As a somewhat larger wave came crashing at their feet, Ruby kicked the water, sending seawater splashing toward Christina. Christina flinched in surprise and tried to step back. Her foot had got caught in the sand, and she stumbled back, falling on her ass. Ruby laughed, full-on uncontrollable laughter, almost bent in half. Christina glared at her and with a wolfish smile on her face, she said:

  
"Oh, it's on!"

  
She pushed herself up as Ruby began running in the other direction, while still trying to get her laughter under control. She tried to hide behind a rock at the edge of the water, but Christina was hot on her trail. As she tried to avoid Christina, the blonde got a hold of her. They tumbled together on the sand in a heap of laughter. When Ruby tried to push herself up, Christina still had a hold of her waist. She brought her closer for a kiss. Ruby, despite her labored breath and a few chuckles still bubbling in her chest, kissed her back. Then, a wave passed over them, and Ruby was quick to stand back up and away from the water, drenched hair sticking to the nape of her neck. She fell back on her towel with a sigh. Christina joined her soon after. As she lay down, she got a hold of Ruby's hand and took it in hers. Ruby said nothing but squeezed her hand.

* * *

They left for Paris two days later. It had taken a bit of persuasion, but Christina had convinced Ruby to stop four hours into their trip in Lyon, spend the night there, then cross the last four hours the next morning. They took the train in Marseille at ten, embarking in an empty wagon. Upon the first stop, a mother and her son stepped into their car, taking the seat opposite theirs.

  
Christina was reading a book against the window, while Ruby had bought a fashion magazine at the station's newsstand. She'd flipped through it a bit but it was in French so there wasn't much she understood. Some of the dresses were nice, there was even one she could imagine Christina wearing, but she quickly grew disinterested and set it aside. On the other side of the wagon, the mother was knitting, while her son, leaned on the table against the window, was drawing in a notebook. He mustn't have been older than ten, wearing a shirt tugged in his pants and shoes so shiny she was certain they'd been polished that same morning.

  
When lunchtime came, and they still had two hours of ride, Christina left her book and stood up. She stretched, but her shirt was tugged in her pants, preventing it from hiking up.

  
"I'm gonna go grab a bite. Want something?"

  
"Whatever you find is fine."

  
As Christina walked past, her hand brushed against Ruby's arm just long enough to feel purposeful, but not too long to be dangerous. Once Christina had stepped out, Ruby found that the child was staring at them. But there wasn't anything malicious in his eyes, not like a kid groomed to hate. He just seemed curious, and Ruby realized it probably had something to do with the language she'd just spoken. It might have been the first time he heard it, or perhaps he'd been taught a few words at school, and he was shocked to hear that people actually spoke it outside of a classroom. As soon as Ruby caught him staring, though, he returned to his drawing.

  
Christina reappeared shortly afterward, with two glass bottles of Coca-Cola, a squared sandwich on a plate, and a bag of biscuits under her arm. She gave Ruby a bottle and half of the sandwich.

  
"Apparently rush hour in the dining car was half an hour ago, so I can't vouch for the quality of the sandwich."

  
Ruby ate mostly because she was hungry. It had taken a while, but she'd finally found bad food in France. It existed, and it lived in the dining car of the Marseille – Paris train. The biscuit themselves were much better, as they came in a long cardboard box. They seemed to be made by a brand from the north of France. As Ruby munched on the biscuit, she noticed the envious look the kid was given her. She held the box toward him and said:

  
"Do you want one?"

  
The boy looked at her curiously, glancing at his mother, who seemed just as clueless as he was. Christina translated, and finally, the boy dared to take a biscuit. He stuffed half of it in his mouth, and after being chastised by his mother, he mumbled what Ruby understood to be a thank you. The mother and Christina got talking, but Ruby didn't even bother to follow. She trusted Christina not to say too much about them.

  
One stop before Lyon the mother and the son hopped off, the boy waving goodbye to the couple before leaving the wagon.

  
"Almost there?" Ruby asked.

  
"If by that you mean just under an hour, then yes, almost there."

* * *

"Lyon-Brotteaux, dix minutes d'arrêt!"

  
The train station in Lyon was very crowded. The platform attendant announced for a ten-minute stop, but seeing the people struggling to come in and out of the wagons, Ruby suspected it would rather be twenty. Still, with Christina behind her, they managed to pass through the mob of people and exited the station.

  
After asking around they found a nice hotel room, and since the afternoon was still early, they decided to take a cab to the old town, on the other side of the river. After passing through an arch between two houses, they found themselves in a long street parallel to the river. The houses there were slim and three stories high, packed together on either side of the street. There was something decidedly claustrophobic about it, as Ruby couldn't see any exit to the street. Above them was a high hill, looming over the city. From the street, Ruby could see the spires of a cathedral, but also a small metal tower near it, reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower.

  
"Do you want to go up there?" Christina asked, pointing to the hill. "I bet the view must be fantastic from there."

  
Ruby crossed her arms.

  
"Why, what's up there?" she asked.

  
Christina gave her a look, but Ruby could see right through her pretended innocence.

  
"The thing that you're looking for is up there, isn't it?"

  
"I don't know what you're..."

  
Ruby cut her off.

  
"I know that look. Now come on, I know we're not leaving until you've looked into it."

  
Christina had a strange expression on her face, one Ruby had never seen before. Then she looked like she was two seconds away from kissing Ruby. Thankfully, she held in the urge and began walking left. Ruby followed. They walked side by side through the stone-paved street. There were a lot of restaurants on either side, an unwisely large number in fact, to the point that Ruby wondered how so many could survive in a single street. They passed some silk shops, some bakeries and confectioners, and an entire shop dedicated to one creepy-looking puppet. They passed another cathedral on their way, with a small fountain in front of it. There seemed to be a path there that would lead them straight to the hill, but it seemed rather steep. Christina asked around, and they were directed toward what people called "La ficelle", the string.

  
The string was an old funicular railway, which climbed on a thin trail through buildings, and to the top of the hill. At the sight of it, Ruby was instantly nervous. The vehicle looked like a red metal butter box with somewhat loose cables attached to the top and tiny wheels on either side at the bottom.

  
"This is an accident waiting to happen," Ruby commented as Christina bought two tickets.

  
"You keep forgetting nothing can touch us," Christina reminded her.

  
"Just because I can't die in a horrible freak accident doesn't mean I shouldn't worry about it happening."

  
Still, without too much coaxing, Ruby stepped into the butter box. She immediately sat down in the nearest old, almost gutted seat, and reached for one of the metal bars to keep herself steady. Christina sat beside her, leaned back in her seat without worry. The doors were closed, however, a small space remained between the two doors, letting a cold draft into the butter box as it began its ascent.

  
The first leg of the journey was mostly alright, if a bit shaky. It was when the butter box began ascending at a 45° angle that Ruby truly worried the cables would break, and they would roll back to the bottom. Beside her, Christina seemed amused by Ruby's fear.

  
"Do you want to hold my hand?" she asked.

  
"No, I don't want to hold your hand," Ruby snapped back.

  
They reached the top without issues and Ruby hurried out of the butter box. Christina followed behind. They were up on the hill, but still a good half a mile from the cathedral. In fact, they had arrived right next to an ancient Roman theater. Ruby was stunned by the sight of it alone. It was massive, dug out of the hill, with rows upon rows of very old gray stones for seats. However, to Ruby's surprise, this wasn't the reason Christina had brought them up on the hill. The blonde gave the ruins a look, then began making her way toward the cathedral.

  
The massive white cathedral was up at the top of the hill. It was even bigger and more detailed than Ruby had imagined. Though they'd seen plenty of churches and cathedral since the beginning of their trip, the magnitude of these buildings never ceased to surprise Ruby. They were always ridiculously lavish, with hundreds of moldings in and out, statues and extravagant – and sometimes ugly – religious paintings. This one had a huge golden statue of the Virgin Mary on the roof, where no one could admire it from up close.

  
The massive wooden doors of the building were open, and so Christina stepped in without hesitation. Ruby followed. The inside was just as insanely grand as Ruby had imagined. Gold everywhere. Huge stained-glass windows illuminating the front of the church. Statues of saints on every pillar. Walls covered with mosaics. There was a set of stairs leading down, but Christina wasn't interested in the stairs. She went directly to one of the walls, where a massive mosaic could be admired, trapped between two pillars. A strange lizard with multiple heads was represented on it.

  
"The heretics," Christina explained in a low voice, though in the massive cathedral it carried easily. "Every one of these mosaics represents different branches of the Christian faith. The bad branches, according to them anyway."

  
She pointed to one of the mosaics on the left of the hydra and added with amusement: "That one is Protestantism."

  
Christina sighed.

  
"Man's obstinacy to believe that he holds the one truth in his hands is what led to this hydra. Anyway..."

  
The blonde glanced around them, but upon finding that the church was mostly empty, and no one was near them, she pulled a pin from her hair and pricked her thumb with it. In the low light of the church, Ruby hadn't noticed the letters at the bottom of the mosaic. Now that Christina's blood was spread over them, and they began to glow, she had no trouble identifying them as belonging to the language of Adam.

  
They heard griding and turned around. One of the statues in the pillar was turning toward them. As it did, something slipped out of its sleeve and fell into its hand. It was a wooden tube. They waited until the statue was done moving. When the grinding stopped, the statue's eyes, which had been closed up until now, flew open. Its dead gaze sent chills down Ruby's spine. They waited a moment, staring at the statue, to see if it would move again. When it became certain that it wouldn't, Christina reached for the tube. She pulled it out of the statue's hand easily. The statue slowly pivots back into place, its eyes shutting once again.

  
Ruby was about to ask how Christina knew, but the blonde beat her to it:

  
"There was a chapter of the Order in Lyon around the end of the 19th century. How did you think they got all the money they needed to build this?"

  
Ruby rolled her eyes. Of course. Christina struggled with the seal on the tube until it finally snapped open. She shook the tube a few times and a thick wad of rolled-up papers fell out of it. Ruby looked over Christina's shoulder as she inspected a few of the old, yet well-preserved papers. Everything on it was either written in French or the language of Adam, and Ruby wasn't fluent enough in either of them to understand.

  
"Well, well, someone was playing with dangerous forces."

  
Christina rolled up the papers and placed them back into the tube.

  
"Is this what you wanted?" Ruby asked.

  
"Did you imagine something else?" Christina replied as they began making their way toward the exit.

  
"Now that I think about it, no, not really."

* * *

They returned to their hotel and instantly Christina became enraptured with the pages. Ruby watched as she spread the pages over the bed in the left side bedroom and stared at them. Ruby was more concerned with the location of her suitcase, as she couldn't see it anywhere in the bedroom. Then, she remembered there was a second bedroom, across the living room. She went inside and found her suitcase waiting for her on the luggage rack. She took it, brought it over to the other bedroom, where Christina was still staring at the pages.

  
A quick look at the time told Ruby that there were still ways away from dinner time. There was no way she would stay in that bedroom, staring at Christina while Christina stared at a few pieces of paper. She knew how the blonde could get when she was focused on her work.

  
"I'm going to do a bit of shopping, alright? I'll be back in a few hours."

  
Christina hummed though Ruby wasn't so sure she'd heard her.

  
Ruby walked around town, as far from the hotel as she dared. She had a relatively good sense of orientation, but with all the names of the street in French, and since she didn't know how to say that she was lost in French, she decided not to take any chances. Anyway, there was plenty to see in the distance she allowed her.

  
There were lots of clothing stores, some more expensive than others. And while Christina had been paying for almost everything on this trip, Ruby had taken all the money she could spare and had it converted when they'd arrived in France, just for this type of expense. She bought two new dresses in one shop and a skirt in another. She found a red velvet beret and bought it for Leti. She'd already bought her sister a miniature Eiffel Tower, but she knew if Leti saw all the new clothes she'd bought she was bound to grow jealous, so she hoped the beret could be a peace offering.

  
She walked past a man's store and paused. There was a mannequin there, dressed with a nicely tailored shirt, vest, and an ascot. Ruby was instantly reminded of William, or rather Christina disguised as William. She stayed there, looking thoughtfully at the ascot, and the few others on display beside it. They were all made from silk – certified regional silk, in fact – and they coasted quite a lot. If Christina had been there, Ruby knew she would have coaxed her into buying it. But since Christina wasn't there, Ruby thought she might as well buy it herself.

  
She also stopped by a confectioner and bought a box of local candy, just to try. Heavy with shopping bags, she made her way back to the hotel. The door was held open for her, and she took the elevator to her suit. When she returned, Christina was seating crossed-legged on their bed, the pages spread out in front of her. Her notebook and a pencil rested on her knee. Ruby left all of her shopping bags on one of the couches in the living room. She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. It took a good minute for Christina to look up.

  
"You're back?"

  
"I'm even surprised you noticed I left."

  
Christina licked her dry lips before she answered.

  
"You told me you were leaving."

  
"Well, anyway, I'm gonna take a shower before dinner. Do you think you'll be done with your papers by then, or should I move my suitcase back into the other room, give you a bit of privacy?"

  
Christina was quick to step over the century-old pages to leave the bed and get a hold of Ruby's hand.

  
"Are you mad that I didn't go shopping with you?" she asked softly.

  
"I'm not mad. I'm just wondering if you're going to spend the last two weeks of our trip working."

  
Christina placed a kiss on Ruby's knuckles. Ruby used her free hand to brush stray hair away from her eyes.

  
"I get that you're excited about those new pages, but we're only going to be in France for a few weeks. You can study them when we go back home."

  
"You're right. I'm sorry. I'll hide them at the bottom of my suitcase until we get back."

  
The answer seemed to satisfy Ruby, who smiled.

  
"I got you something," she said, moving toward the living room.

  
Christina pulled her back before she could completely escape her grasp. She kissed Ruy soundly.

  
"I'm glad you agreed to come with me," she said as she pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me inserting a fictionalized version of my gay, restaurant owner great-great-grandfather in my fanfiction: Behold my ancestry!


	2. Si Tu Me Le Demandais

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Christina return to Paris, and Christina gets a tip about something that might interest her

Early the next morning they were on another train bound for Paris. Ruby had struggled to get up, probably because someone had kept her awake far too late. Christina, accustomed to long sleepless nights, showed none of the signs of tiredness that accompanied Ruby to the train station. She went back right to sleep on the train and slept for the entire trip.

  
They'd been given their old room back at the hotel, one extremely expensive hotel where some tourists gave the stink eye to Ruby, and she ignored them because there was nothing they could do to kick her out. They had about two weeks before they were due to take the plane back to New York, where Christina's car had been waiting for them for almost two months now. Still, there were quite a few things left to do and see in Paris.

  
One day began with a walk in the park before they made their way to one of the city's many covered passages. Another, they spent the morning at the terrace of a café, listening to a nearby accordionist playing classical jazz songs. One day, Ruby was tired and she didn't want to leave their bed, so they stayed hidden in their room all day, ordering room service. One afternoon, just for the fun of it, they found the Museum of Magic, hidden in a corner of a street as if it would disappear at any second. Not a word on the Order, or the language of Adam, it was all tricks that made Christina chuckle, but they had a good time.

  
One evening, they ended up stuck in a small cinema watching 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', because the movie might have come out a year ago in the US, it'd only been released a few weeks ago in France, and the crowds had already tired of Marylin's pretend singing. They might as well have caught the last showing. Ruby could barely follow because all the dialogs were in French, and the songs were okay enough. Halfway thought the movie, Christina leaned even closer in her seat, and whispered into her ear:

  
"Gentlemen aren't the only ones who prefer blondes."

  
Ruby couldn't help but roll her eyes with amusement. She stopped trying to focus on the movie and looked at Christina instead. The bright Technicolor lights of the film were lighting up her face. She was smiling, seemingly enjoying some of the movie's jokes. When a song began, it took her a few bars to get the beat right, as her foot began tapping along with the music. When Christina noticed, she looked back at her and asked:

  
"What?"

  
Ruby thought very hard 'If I could kiss you right now I would'. She didn't say it. Instead, she looked back at the movie. A moment later, Christina stopped staring back at her, and Ruby felt free to think again. It had become a running theme, in those past few days. So many times Ruby had wanted to kiss her lover, or even hold her hand, but they couldn't, because they weren't alone. Christina was fearless in that regard, taking any chance to touch her lover subtly, even if they were in the middle of a crowd. Especially if they were in the middle of a crowd. Ruby couldn't quite get over the fear that something awful would happen if she did. She was also absolutely tired of that fear, tired that the only chance they'd had to act like a couple in public was when either of them was masquerading as a man.

  
The movie ended, and Ruby wasn't impressed. They took a cab back to the hotel and discussed whether any of the songs were, in Ruby's opinion, salvageable. They'd barely crossed the hotel lobby that one of the clerks at the front desk called upon Christina.

  
"Miss Braithwhite?" he said, struggling with the pronunciation of her last name so much that Ruby had to hold in a snicker.

  
Christina leaned against the counter, ignoring Ruby's mockery over her complicated name.

  
"A man came in earlier, he left a note for you."

  
Ruby frowned, but Christina didn't seem surprised. She took the note and read through it quickly. Then, she turned to Ruby.

  
"I have to go get something. I'll be back."

  
Ruby's gaze, however, seemed to pin her in place. She wasn't displeased, but she expected far more from Christina.

  
"Didn't you tell me you'd stay away from work until we were back home?"

  
"It's not..."

  
"Don't try. Why else would you be going anywhere?"

  
Christina sighed.

  
"It'll only be a minute."

  
"Fine. I'm coming with you then."

  
"Alright."

  
Ruby was ready to argue her case, and Christina's prompt agreement threw her off. Still, she didn't complain, and they walked back out into the fresh Parisian night.

* * *

The cab left them in front of a large sand-colored stone building, but it wasn't what Christina was interested in. Rather, she walked up to a small dark green wooden cabin on the side of the building. It was completely closed off. A door stood beside the cabin, equally locked. It didn't take much for Christina to lock-pick the door open. On the other side was a long staircase disappearing into the darkness.

  
"It's down there," Christina said.

  
She pulled a silver lighter out of her pocket and looked at Ruby.

  
"You don't have to come if you don't want to."

  
"You're not getting rid of me so easily."

  
Christina pursed her lips.

  
"Stay close then."

  
They made their way down slowly, only lit by the flame of Christina's lighter. At the bottom of the stairs, they emerged into a church-like room, with a slope leading further down into the city's belly. They continued, Christina certain of her direction. Their footsteps echoed loudly over the high ceiling of the room. As they reached the end of the slope, Ruby noticed something carved on the stone beam over the door. 'Arrête! C'est ici l'empire des morts'. Ruby didn't have the time to pause and ask for a translation, as Christina had continued with her usual determination.

  
They crossed the door, and Ruby screamed. Skulls were staring back at her. They lined the walls amidst piles and piles of bones, arranged decoratively. Christina turned around to make sure Ruby was alright.

  
"What is this place!" Ruby shouted, as she tried to keep her eyes on Christina, and not the dark sockets of the yellowing skulls.

  
"The catacombs," Christina replied. "My contact said there was something interesting down here."

  
"It's interesting alright! How many people do they have on goddamn display here?"

  
"A few millions, at least."

  
Ruby dared another look at the walls, but it still felt like the rotten skulls were looking at her.

  
"You can wait outside if you want," Christina said.

  
"Too late for that. I'm already going to have nightmares for the rest of my life. Might as well finish the tour."

  
Christina nodded. With her free hand, she pulled out a femur from the top of the pile. Ruby's eyes grew wide.

  
"What are you doing!"

  
"We need a torch," Christina replied.

  
She crouched, placing her lighter on the ground so it would continue to light up the hall. She pulled out a pocket knife and cut her hand open. She began drawing symbols on the bone. Ruby was still just as shocked.

  
"Of course you wouldn't have any respect for the dead," she muttered.

  
"They don't need it anymore," Christina replied.

  
Ruby rolled her eyes at Christina's nonchalance. The symbols on the bone glowed briefly. Then, as Christina approached the flame of the lighter to the end of the bone, it caught fire as if it were a wooden torch. Christina pocketed the lighter. The light from the torch was much brighter, illuminating even more of the corridor. It led to a fork in the path, and unfortunately for Ruby, the walls were still lined with bones.

  
"What would you say if I used your dead body for a spell?" Ruby asked as Christina began looking around.

  
"I would probably be very proud of you, but I would be dead, so I don't see why it matters."

  
"Of course you would. Well, let it be clear, right here, right now, that I do not give you the permission to mess with my dead body to cast a spell."

  
"I'll try not to forget it," Christina said with a smile.

* * *

They made their way further into the catacombs. The flaming femur lit their way around skull-decorated corners. Christina was looking at every wall attentively. Ruby was trying not to look. Inevitably, the feeling that she was being watched overtook her, despite – or perhaps because of - the empty sockets of the hundreds of strangely well-preserved skulls. She glanced behind them often, too often for her taste.

  
The air was acrid, hard to breathe sometimes. If Ruby stared into the darkness for too long, she could see people staring back. It didn't take her long to rationalize that her brain was mistaking barely lit skulls for faces. At one point, she thought she saw an eye looking right at her, but she knew it must have been something shining out of the socket. She didn't want to imagine what.

  
"What are you even looking for?" Ruby asked.

  
"X marks the spot. That's what the note said."

  
Ruby sighed with frustration.

  
"Of course he couldn't be any more precise, now could he?"

  
Still, Ruby tried to keep an eye open for a cross of some kind. Problem was, there were a lot of crosses everywhere. On walls, between rows of bones. Sometimes the skulls were even arranged into a cross pattern. But no X, only religious symbols that Ruby hoped would keep whatever spirits inhabited this place at peace.

  
She looked back behind them. The wall to their left had a whole bunch of skulls all tugged side by side. Again, an eye seemed to gleam out of one of the sockets. Ruby took a deep breath of musty air and looked away. Her heart had been beating wildly in her chest ever since they'd first taken a step into the catacombs. Maybe it was a way of reminding herself that she was alive. Right now, she did not doubt that she could have died of fright half an hour ago and she wouldn't have been able to tell. It looked as much as a tour through the catacombs as a descent toward Hell.

  
Christina stopped ahead of her and Ruby knocked into her lightly. She stepped aside to look in front of them. They'd reached a dead-end, with yet another cross and a wall of skulls. One of the skulls was perched on top of the cross, missing all of its teeth and jaw. Somehow it looked as though it were laughing at them.

  
"We're going to get lost in here," Ruby complained.

  
"It's alright. I know a spell that can help us find our way back. And this one doesn't need anyone's femur."

  
Ruby could feel Christina was trying to reassure her. She was starting to think that she shouldn't have insisted on coming with her. She was mostly useless and too scared to search for the X. Still, Christina took her hand in hers as they turned around and walked back toward the last intersection.

  
They reached an intersection. Ahead of them was the way to the exit. To their left, a path leading even deeper into the catacombs. To their right... Ruby frowned. She could have sworn that there were more skulls than that on this particular wall. Everything just looked so similar here. All the patterns on the walls were almost always the same. If she stared at the bones long enough, they didn't even look like bones anymore, more like the flat pattern of a wallpaper. She must have been mistaken.

  
Hand still in Christina's, Ruby continued to keep most of her focus on the blonde's back, darting glances at the walls now and again. She decided that if they were going to spend the entire night looking for some mysterious X, she might as well make the most of it. She strengthened her hold on Christina's hand and said with a sigh:

  
"At least dead people won't be offended to see us holding hands."

  
She couldn't see Christina's smile, but she felt her squeeze her hand back.

  
"I spent half of the movie trying not to kiss you," the blonde confessed.

  
"Why didn't you?" Ruby asked. "I mean, not... I'm not saying you should have kissed me, we weren't alone in the cinema. I just... I don't know, it always seems like you do whatever you want."

  
"I do, most of the time. It's hard sometimes. Sometimes I wish it could be just us all the time. So when there are people around... It's not me, it's you too. I don't care if something happens to me, but you..."

  
It didn't happen often that Christina was struggling with anything, let alone words. Ruby took in every pause and stammered word. For a second they made her forget that they were surrounded by hundreds of yellow bones. For a second, there was just two of them in the universe, no time or space.

  
Ruby glanced back. She thought she saw another eye staring at her. She shivered and looked ahead of her again. Christina had already decided to change the subject, putting on a more confident, less emotional mask.

  
"I hope he didn't mean any of the crosses," she said with frustration.

  
"They're all different," Ruby reasoned. "If he really meant any of these crosses I'm sure he would have been more precise. At least I hope he would have been."

  
Ruby looked back and froze. She was almost certain that one of the skulls had moved. It hadn't just moved, it had retracted back behind the rows of femurs and tibiae. It had been impossibly quiet. Not even the xylophone sound of bones knocking could be heard.

  
Christina, feeling Ruby immobile behind her, stopped.

  
"What is it?" she asked.

  
"I don't think it's just us," Ruby whispered. "I think there's something here. I just saw bones shifting."

  
Christina took a deep breath.

  
"Alright. Do you know if it's been following us?"

  
"I think so."

  
"I'll keep an eye out for bones shifting. Here."

  
Christina handed her the lighter. It wasn't cold like Ruby had thought, but warm, having been in the blonde's pocket for quite some time already.

  
"In case we get separated. And don't worry. Whatever is stalking us, it can't hurt us, remember?"

  
Christina passed a hand over Ruby's abdomen as if she were feeling for the mark there. Ruby swallowed with difficulty and nodded. Christina looked at her watch.

  
"We'll keep looking for another twenty minutes. If we can't find anything, we'll leave, alright?"

  
Ruby had more in mind that they run now without looking back, but she knew Christina wouldn't leave without what she'd been looking for, and the fact that she'd suggested they leave at all was already a huge compromise. Christina took her free hand in hers again and they walked on. Ruby glanced back behind her. There were only bones.

* * *

They reached another intersection, with a path going left, a path going right, and another cross on the opposite wall, surrounded by skulls. Christina paused there, thinking. Ruby had heard nothing for the past five minutes but the blood pulsing through her ears. The flames dancing on the tip of the torch were absolute silence compared to the sound of her heart beating frighteningly in her throat.

  
Ahead of her, Christina was nervously scratching the newly formed scab in the palm of her hand. Ruby stopped her with a gentle hand, but still, a few drops of blood trickled out, matting the stone ground.

  
"This place seems like a good place to get an infection," Ruby said.

  
Christina nodded and she smiled comfortingly at Ruby.

  
"We haven't had a lot of chance with sticking to the left paths so far. How about we try right this time?"

  
"That's a good way to get lost," Ruby noted.

  
Her voice died down in the empty halls. A shamble replied. Like bone grinding on stone. Louder and louder with every step. Ruby was the first to turn around. She could only see darkness beyond the flickering of the light. Christina turned around as soon as she heard it too. She placed a protective arm in front of Ruby.

  
They caught the glim of an eye first. Like a white pearl in the darkness. It made no light and touched no light yet shone like the moon in the night sky. A silver, chilling glow. The shambling continued, closer and closer. Ruby thought she could make out not one, but many faces coming closer. She took a step back, prompting Christina to do the same and bringing the light away with her. The clicking of heavy bones shuffling forward continued. Ruby could hear it over the pounding of her heart. Like the sound of someone clicking their tongue against their front teeth again and again and again.

  
Not one but a dozen skulls emerged into the light. All twelve or so skulls, fused by time into two rows of yellow masks, one on top of the other. The body was made of bones too. Femurs and tibiae were held together by rot and something else. Something red, like tendons. It had no hands or feet, and the rounded tips of the leg bones had been ground to dust. Six legs unveiled themselves to the light. It shambled from side to side, seemingly losing balance only to recuperate with its next step. As it moved, the silvery eye shifted through one row of the skulls, left to right, right to left, like a rolling marble.

  
The light didn't seem to bother it. It continued, shambling toward the two intruders, closer and closer, without any inclination to stop. Despite its movement, Ruby was certain the eye was staring at her, its glow penetrating her soul and marking it forever.

  
Christina grabbed Ruby and pulled her to the right. The creature's gaze followed. It leaped. Ruby thought it was leaping toward them. Instead, it leaped into the wall, sinking into the pile of bones as if it were a pool of clear water. It disappeared inside. Then, the bones on the wall began to jitter and raise, like a wave. It was running after them.

  
Ruby tried to keep up as best as she could. Christina was mostly dragging her at this point, as her legs had grown unresponsive. She wouldn't be surprised if the pearly eye had petrified her. They weren't even looking where they were going anymore. Instead, Christina was rushing them as far away from the creature.

  
It exploded out of the wall in a cackling of bones. Christina pushed Ruby out of the way. Ruby caught the rotted scent of the creature. Christina had stepped back, keeping a distance between the monster and her. It was hissing if that was even possible, facing the blonde and completely ignoring Ruby. Ruby still took a few steps back once she'd recovered from the hard shove. The back of the creature was made of rows of long yellowing bones, like a ribcage. The back was held together by a spine made from the same tendon-like red string. Ruby caught a glance of the belly every time it shambled. There, the bones had been snapped, forming a long mouth with jagged, sharp femurs for teeth. Already Christina was running away, waving the torch as if to attract its attention.

  
"Find the exit!" she shouted to Ruby. "I'll meet you there!"

  
She ran further down the tunnel, and the creature followed, uninterested by Ruby. Soon enough, Christina was but a speck of light in the distance, and Ruby was in the dark.

* * *

It took three tries to switch the lighter on. When the tiny flame returned, Ruby sighed. There was no sign of the creature or Christina. Ruby held her breath, listening for footsteps or shambling. She heard nothing but her heart. She was frozen in place, unsure of what she was supposed to do. She couldn't abandon Christina down there. But the blonde had told her to go to the exit. If Chris arrived at the exit, and Ruby wasn't there, she would surely try to go back in and find her. Right?

  
Her entire body was trembling, but Ruby managed to walk back toward where she thought they'd come from. She walked slowly, taking small breaths, keeping the lighter in between her fingers. Every step was like a spike to the heart, taking her further away from Christina. For a moment, she feared there would be another Shambler somewhere, ready to ambush her. Or perhaps Christina hadn't managed to outrun it. That was the worst thought of all.

  
She was about to take a turn she was certain would lead her to the exit, when something caught her attention on the wall. Two femurs, crossed on the wall of bones, with a skull on top of the point where the two bones met. It almost looked like the flag of a pirate. Or...

  
"X marks the spot..." Ruby muttered in disbelief.

  
She dared to step closer to the wall. As the flame of the lighter lit the inside of the skull, something shined back. Not a silver eye, but something else, flat. Ruby took a deep breath, asked for forgiveness, and punched the skull. The rotted bone snapped under her fist. She reached inside and retrieved the item inside. It was a compass. There was a series of words in Latin all around the outer circle of it and no directional symbols. A single arrow was spinning softly, with no sign of stopping. On the outer rim was another arrow. This one pointed to the word 'secretum'. With one hand, Ruby began turning the outer arrow to the next word, 'amor'. She heard clicking as the inner gears of the compass shifted. Then, the inner arrow turned toward the direction Ruby had come from.

  
It might seem crazy, but Ruby decided to follow the arrow. Christina wouldn't have risked her life down here for nothing. This had to be a magical compass. Perhaps it could even stop the Shambler. She took a deep breath and followed the arrow.

  
As she walked further and further, Ruby began picking up speed. Almost like it knew the layout of the catacombs, the arrow changed direction often, telling her which branch of the path to follow. She began to forget about the skulls watching her pass. Her mind was completely focused on Christina. Her heart was beating at a different rhythm now. No longer out of fear, but with determination, that same determination she so often found in Christina. Maybe the blonde had started rubbing off on her.

  
She heard footsteps coming closer but saw no torch. She assumed Christina was running through one of the nearest paths. Suddenly, they collided. They managed to stay upright only because Ruby dug her heels into the stone ground. Still, she dropped the lighter. Christina had inadvertently taken refuge in her arms.

  
"Ruby?" Christina asked worriedly.

  
Ruby sighed with relief.

  
"I'm here."

  
"I didn't find you at the exit..." Christina began to explain.

  
"I got sidetracked," Ruby replied as she picked up the lighter on the ground.

  
She flickered it back on. Christina had taken a step away from her, staring at the way she'd come from.

  
"Is it still following you?" Ruby asked.

  
"I'm not sure. I put a protection line at the entrance, it can't follow us out."

  
Ruby nodded. She followed Christina to the exit. She thought she heard bones banging together, but by the time they'd passed on the other side of the entrance, it didn't matter anymore. The creature threw itself after them and hit a wall of orange energy. It snarled back and disappeared into the darkness.

  
Ruby was hunched in half, trying to recover her breath, when she remembered the compass in her hand. She held it out for Christina to take.

  
"Here," she said after struggling to swallow saliva.

  
Christina took the compass with surprise. She looked at it, passing her hand over the glass. Then, she looked back at Ruby with pride.

  
"What would I do without you?" she said.

  
"Aren't you glad we'll never have to find out?"

* * *

They returned to their hotel in the early hours of the day, tired and covered with dust. Despite Christina's best effort, her hair was still a mess. Ruby dreamed of nothing else but sweet sleep. However, every time she so much as blinked, she saw the silver eye, and it sent enough adrenaline in her system to keep her awake another half hour.

  
Christina locked their hotel room door behind them, then collapsed on the bed beside Ruby. She pulled the compass out of her pocket and looked at it, while Ruby was struggling to get her shoes off. Her feet hurt like Hell, but at least she still had feet, she thought.

  
"Did you use it?" Christina asked as she looked at the outer arrow, and where it had stopped.

  
"Yeah, to find you. I just followed the arrow and it guided me back to you."

  
Christina said nothing at first. Then, she placed the compass on the bed beside her. When she looked back at Ruby, she took both of her lover's hand in hers and, looking deep into her dark eyes, she said:

  
"I'm sorry I put you in danger tonight."

  
Ruby frowned.

  
"You couldn't have known there would be something dangerous down there. Plus, I insisted."

  
"Still. If anything had happened to you..."

  
Ruby placed a hand on her cheek, shushing her.

  
"I'm fine. Not even a scratch on me. The mark, remember? And we got your compass, whatever it does, and we made it out."

  
Christina nodded, her head leaning ever so slightly against Ruby's palm.

  
"Do you know how it works? The compass?"

  
"I just assumed it was magical and it would help me find you. Beyond that..."

  
Christina smiled gently.

  
"Those words on the outer circle? They determine what you're looking for. As it is right now, the compass is set to love."

  
Ruby felt warmth spread through her chest. Still, her expression only betrayed surprise. Christina let go of her hands and reached for the compass again. She held it with both hands. The outer arrow hadn't moved, still pointing toward love. The arrow inside was decidedly set in Ruby's direction, completely still. Christina pursed her lips and said:

  
"I'm better at showing than telling but, after tonight, in the tunnels, I was so scared and I... I mean, this is as good a time as any..."

  
Before she could continue, Ruby pulled her into a kiss. Christina tried to put all of her feelings into it. When they separated, Ruby placed her forehead against her lover's and said:

  
"I love you too."

  
"I didn't even say it."

  
"You don't have to."

  
Christina leaned away, one hand on Ruby's shoulder. Once she could look into Ruby's eyes again, she felt the incredible certainty of her feelings.

  
"I love you."

  
Ruby pulled her into a hug, and Christina repeated:

  
"I love you."

* * *

Neither of them could sleep, and so they lay side by side in bed, holding onto each other for dear life. Christina had tugged her head under Ruby's chin, her finger running small symbols over Ruby's arm. For once, Ruby was the thoughtful one. Christina let her think. She knew her lover would share once she was ready.

  
"It's not going to be easy."

  
Christina shifted away to look at Ruby.

  
"What?"

  
"Us. Here it's somewhat easier, but home."

  
"We already knew that. I mean, we've been together for a few months already."

  
"Yeah but... I mean, I always assumed that eventually you'd just, I don't know, grow tired of the secrets and all the problems that come with being with me."

  
Christina shushed her with a kiss.

  
"I knew what I was getting into the moment I set my sight on you. And yes, using William made things easier, but I'm glad you found out the truth. And I'm glad you decided you liked me enough to stay a while longer. This trip would have been incredibly boring without you."

  
Christina marked a pause, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile.

  
"But in the same way that you love me, me, not me in a man's suit even if it would be easier, I love you, all of you, every inch of you, and everything that comes with it. Even if it seems like a hassle. Loving you isn't a hassle, it's the damn thing that has ever happened to me."

  
Ruby kissed her again.

  
"I love you too. Even if you sometimes spend too much time in your witch dungeon working."

  
Christina rolled her eyes but leaned against Ruby again, pulling her into another hug.

  
"Also next time I'm picking which country we visit," Ruby added. "That way I'll make sure there aren't monster-infested catacombs waited for us there."

  
"That's what you think."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? Some horror elements in my romantic Parisian story?  
> In all honesty, you can blame my brain for that. But, you know, I have to assume that even if we all stayed for the unsatisfying wlw subplot, most of us started watching Lovecraft Country for the horror. So I don't feel too bad including this catacomb visit. And I'm pretty proud of the Shambler, probably my best monster creation yet.  
> I debated for a bit whether Christina should use someone's femur as a magic torch, but then I remembered that it's Christina we're talking about, so she definitely would.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite this sudden tone shift! I had a lot of fun writing this whole story, it allowed me to practice both my romance chops and my horror chops, and really what else could any learning writer ask for? Thank you for all of your positive feedback on the first part of the story, and I hope you have a nice week!


End file.
